Customer relationship management (“CRM”) systems allow users to create and utilize information relevant to business relationships. For instance, a CRM system may allow users to create, view, edit, modify, and otherwise utilize information regarding customers or potential customers, contact with the customers, sales made to customers, customer support information, marketing information, and other types of information that may be relevant to a business relationship or potential business relationship. CRM systems typically provide a World Wide Web (“Web”) based user interface (“UI”) for performing this functionality. As an example, a CRM system might provide a Web-based UI through which a user can send electronic mail (“e-mail”) messages to customers or potential customers, manage appointments with customers, and perform other business tasks.
While the Web-based UIs provided by most CRM systems are robust, many users still prefer to utilize a personal information manager (“PIM”) client application program to send and receive e-mail, to manage appointments, and to perform other customer-related tasks. Currently, however, users typically have to choose between leveraging the features provided by Web-based CRM systems, such as e-mail templates, and the rich e-mail experience provided by PIM client application programs. For instance, some users might compose new e-mail messages using a PIM client application, and then utilize the Web UI provided by a CRM system to perform actions on the e-mail messages. Using both a PIM client application and a Web-based CRM system can be a time consuming and frustrating process for some users.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.